Flame block for furnaces



Feb. 4, 1941. s LEVY 2,230,960

FLAME BLOCK FOR FURNACES Filed May 15, 1939 2 SheetS-Sheet l l l /,.LfiL..

gfi J' Feb. 4-, 1941. s LEVY 2,230,960

FLAME BLOCK FOR FU'RNACES Filed May 15, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 4, 1941 PA''T OFFi-CE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to flame controllers or distributors for use in any and all types of furnaces, lead pots, etc., where a plume or other type of flame having a generally circular cross sectional form is normally projected from the tip or mouth of a gas, oil, or other type of burn-- er, into a heating chamber in which a fiat cross sectional or ribbon type of flame may be more desirable, as in the case of the heat treating furnace disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 243326, filed December 3, 1938.

The present invention relates more specically to a fiame distributor or controller in the form of a refractory tile or block adapted to be set in and to form a part of the inner refractory wall of a furnace, etc., which wall maybe either flat or circular, as in the case of the furnace disclosed in the aforesaid copending application. In the furnace of said application, and inthe present instance, the refractory wall is of the circular type. The fiame block constitutes a segmental portion of the wall and is provided on its outer arcuate 'face with a ame inlet opening of one cross sectional form and on its concaved face ,with a discharge opening of different cross sectional form. The inlet and discharge openings are connected by and through a transitional channel in which the cross section thereof changes prcgressively and smoothly from the cross sectional form of the inlet opening to the cross sectional form of the discharge opening, as will be more fully clisclosed hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a preferred form of ame block made in acco'dance with the present invention, Viewing the convexed side of the block in which the inlet opening is formed;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the block viewing the concaved face thereof, in which the discharge opening is formed; v

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken at right angles to the plane of the section of Fig. 3, on the line L Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an outside View lookingin a direction perpenclicular to the plane indicated by the arrows 5, 5, in Figs. 3 and 4 respectiv-ely;

Fig. 6 a cross sectional View taken on the lines 6-6, 6-5, in Figs. 3 and 4 respcctively;

Fig. '7 is a cross sectional View taken on the lines 1-4, 1-?, Figs. 3 and 4 respectively; and

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional View taken on the lines 8-8, 8-4, Figs. 3 and 4 respectively.

As shown in' Figs. 1, 2 and 5' the flame block I, is composed of any suitable refractory material, such, for example, as that known as Mullite. However, any suitable fire brick material may be employed. The block I is in the form of a segment of a ring, having predetermined radial thickness and predetermined width.

Formed on and projecting outwardly from the convexed surface 2 of the block l is a boss 3. The boss or other protuberance 3 has a flat surface l disposed in a plane arranged at an interi secting angle to the planes of the convergent radal end surfaces 5 and B of the block I. Formed in the fiat surface 4 is a fiame inlet opening 'l of any suitable predetermined contour. In the present instance, as shown in Fig. 5, the flame inlet opening 'l is of a substantially circular contour.

The inner or concaved face 8 of the block l is provided with a discharge opening 9 which is of a different contour than the inlet opening l. In the present instance, the discharge opening is of a general rectangular form.

The inlet opening 'l and the discharge opening 9 are connected by a transitional channel o, which, as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, changes gradually and smoothly from the contour of the inlet opening 'l to the contour of the discharge opening' 9, whereby a flame projected into the inlet opening i, assuming the flame to be of the general circular plume type, will pass into the transitional channel (E) and engage smoothly curving side walls ll, li of the channel o. such engagement with the convergent side walls ll, II will cause the fiame to be thinned out in one direction from its original circular cross sectional form and measurements, to a thickness corresponding to the width or shorter dimension of the rectangular channel, at the plane indicated by the lines 8-8, in Figs. 3 and 4. Thinning of the flame in the one direction causes the fiame to spread in a right angle direction, substantially into engagement with the end walls !2, IZ of the channel ll), as shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 8.

From the plane indicated by the line 8-8 toward the concaved face 8 of the block l, as shown in Fig. 3, one wall H of the channel ID curves or flares outwardly from the opposite wall of the channel lil, as indicated at !3. In the present instance, although not necessarily, the flaring portion !3 intersects with the radial end wall 6 and the concaved face 8 at the common intersection of these two outer walls of the block I. The second Wall ll of the channel o flares in the opposite direction to the flare !3,

as indicated at [4, and curves outwardly from and beyond the concaved face 8 to form one edge of a fiame lip 15.

The fiame lip extends completely across the channel 10, and beyond the end walls [2, !2

' thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The outer surface IS of the lip !5 converges toward and blends into the concaved face 8 of the block, between the discharge opening 9 and the radial end 5 of the block.

The transitional channel ID is designed and proportioned so as to` eliminate choking of the fiame which would tend to create a back pressure in the channel and a nare-back of the flame toward the inlet opening 'l thereof. For this purpose the cross sectional area of the channel, at the plate 8-8, Figs. 3 and 4, is first calculated to meet the fuel requirements of the urnace, or its proportional share thereof in the case of furnaces employing a plurality of flames. With this controlling area established, the cross sectional area of the channel at all planes intermediate the plane 8-8 and the plane 5-5, in which latter the inlet opening 'I is formed, is never permitted to be less than the cross sectional area of the channel at the said controlling outlet plane thereof, i. e. at the plane 8-8.

As a matter of illustration, if the cross sectio-nal contour of the channel l!) at the plane designated on the drawings as the plane 8-8, would have an area of approximately 3.09 square inches, the area of the inlet opening 'I at the plane 5-5, would b-e approximately 4.13 square inches, the area of the channel at the plane '-l approximately 4.5 square inches, and the area at the plane 6-6 approximately 5.4 square inches. Thus, it will be seen that the area at each of these planes would exceed the area of the controlling cross sectional plane 8-8.

The above noted increased areas at the planes 6-6 and l-l respectively, are due to the smooth stream-lining of the walls ll, Il and !2, 12, of

the channel I O, from the substantially circular inlet opening 'l to the substantially rectangular discharge opening 9 provided for preventing impingement of the fiame projected into the fiame receiving opening 'I against any abrupt surfaces which would tend to defiect the flame backwardly toward the opening l. The shape of the interior walls of the channel I!) provides, at all points, impingement surfaces which tend to change the cross sectional shape of the flame and direct the flame toward the discharge opening 9.

Having once established the correct controlling area and cross section of the channel I@ at the plane 8-8, the burner which projects the flame into the inlet opening 'I is regulated so that its flame Volume does not exceed the flame requirement for substantially filling the channel w at the controlling plane 8-8.

The stream-lining of the walls of the channel, as noted above, prevents the formation of what are known as hot-Spots, which tend to burn out the fire brick in the walls of the fiame channel as would result from impingement of the fiame against any retardng abutments in the walls of the channel.

It will be understood that the areas and dimensions given above are provided for the purpose of illustration only, to show a relationship between the areas at the various planes along the channel, and that these measurements etc. are not to be taken as any literal limitations.

From the above, it will be clear that the transitional channel lil by changing its crosssectional contour progressively between the fiame inlet opening l and the flame discharge opening 9 will convert a flame projected into the inlet l from its original cross sectional shape to the different cross sectional shape of the discharge port 9, which,in the present case is rectangular to effect discharge of a fiat ribbon-like fiame into the furnace.

From the above it will also be clear that in cases where the fiame block is built into a furnace wall of the circular type, as disclosed in the aforementioned copending application, the arcuate flame lip !5, in addition to thickenin and thereby strengthening the block at the acute angle between the concaved face of the block and the one wall of the transitional channel Io, serves, together with the arcuate surface !3 of the opposite wall of the transitional channel |ll,

to direct the flame into the interior of the furnace in such a manner that the fiame will hug the wall of the combustion chamber substantially as disclosed in the aforementioned copending application.

I claim:

1. A flame block having a flame inlet at one side, a fiame outlet at the opposite side, a flame channel extending through the block from said inlet to said outlet at an angle to and intersecting said opposite sides of the block, and a fiame lip at the intersection of one wall of said channel with one face of said block, said lip extending beyond said face of the block and having an outward then inwardly curving surface b-lending into said wall and said face respectively.

2. A fiame block having a fiame inlet at one side, a fiame outlet at the opposite side, a ame channel extending through 'the block from said inlet to said outlet at an angle to and intersecting said opposite sides of the block, a flame lip at the intersection of one wall of said channel with one face of said block, said lip extending beyond said face of the block and having an outward then inwardly curving surface blending into said wall and said face respectively, the opposite wall of said channel at said outlet curving outwardly in the opposite direction from the curvature of said lip and blending into said face of the block.

3. A fiame block of concavo-convex cross-sectional form having a flame inlet of predetermined contour and predetermined area at its convexed side, a flame outlet of different contour and lesser area at .the concaved side of the block, a transitional channel extending through the block from said inlet to said outlet and progressively changing in cross-sectional contour from the contour of said inlet to the contour of said outlet and a fiame lip at the intersection of the concave face of the block and one wall of said channel disposed at an acute angle to said concave face of the block, said lip projecting outwardly beyond said concave face.

4. A fiame block of concaVo-convex crosssectional form having a flame inlet of substantially circular form at the convexed side of the block, a flame outlet of substantially rectangular contour at .the concaved side of the block with the longer dimension of the rectangle extending longitudinally of the block, a transitional channel connecting said inlet to said outlet and progressively changing in cross-sectional contour from the contour of said inlet to the contour of said outlet, said channel extending through said block at an angle to and intersecting said concaved and convexed sides of the block and having one wall curving outwardly from one longitudinal side of said outlet and blending into said concaved. side of the block, and a flame lip along the opposite longltudinal side of said outlet and projecting beyond said concaved side of the block With a surface curving outwardly then inwardly and blending with the Wall of the channel at the second longitudinal side of said outlet and with said concaved side of the block respectively.

5. A fiame block of concaVo-convex cross-section and of rectangular Outline on each of the concave and convex faces respectively thereof to form a rectangular segmental section of a cylindricalrefractory furnace Wall, a boss formed on the convex face of the block and comprising an outer end face disposed in a plane intersecting said convex face with a circular flame inlet formed in said end face, a fiame channel formed in and extending completely through said block and said boss about an axs coincident With the axis of said inlet perpendicular to the plane of said end face and intersecting the concave and convex surfaces of the block, a rectangular flame outlet symmetrically disposed about said channel axis at the intersection of said channel axis and the concave face of the block with the longer dimension of said outlet disposed longitudinally of the block, said channel connecting said inlet and said outlet and changing progressively by constantly varying cross-sectional contour from the circular shape of the inlet .to the rectangular shape of the outlet.

6. A flame block of concaVo-convex cross-section and of rectangular Outline on each of the concave and convex faces respectively thereof to form a rectanguar segmental section of a cylindrical refractory furnace wall, a boss formed on the convex face of the block and comprising an outer end face disposed in a plane intersecting said convex face With a circular fiame inlet formed in said end face, a fiame channel formed in and extending completely through said block and said boss about an axis coincident With the axis of said inlet perpendicular to the plane of said end face and intersecting the concave and convex surfaces of the block, a rectangular fiame outlet symmetrically disposed about said channel axis at the intersection of said channel axis and the concave face of the block With the longer dimension of said outlet disposed longitudinally of the block, said channel connecting said inlet and said outlet and changing progressively by constantly varying cross-sectional contour from the circular shape of the inlet to the rectangular shape of the outlet, a flame lip along one longitudinal edge of said outlet and curving outwardly therefrom and beyond .the concave face .of the block, then inwardly in a reverse curve, bending into said concave face, the interiorwall of the outlet adjacent the opposite longtudinal edge thereof curving in the opposite direction from said outward curvature of the lip and blending into said concave face of the block. V

SYLVAN N. LEVY. 

